Week 9 - Taramasalata and Chicken and Bean Stew

Well a disaster had to happen sometime, and having got into March without having to actually chuck anything out is quite good going, I guess.

For a start, I have never eaten Taramasalata (p77), so I'm not sure (a) whether I like it or (b) what the heck it should taste like.  No matter, in for a penny, in for a pound and I scoured the borough for cod roe.  I eventually found a fish counter which had it on ice (although re-reading the recipe it called for smoked roe - no idea whether this is the same thing), and I bought the smallest piece I could so I could make a reduced portion of the recipe.  No point making tonnes of the stuff in case it turns out to be vile.

The roe looked like the result of a lobotomy operation, and languished in the fridge from Saturday until Wednesday.  So now I have something that looks like brains that I am going to eat raw that has been in the fridge for four days.  Bit concerned about giving myself food poisoning.

Come Wednesday, I got it out the fridge - can't tell if it's off or not - and scooped the roe out from the skin. Put in the processor with some bread that has been soaked in water & squeezed out, and a crushed garlic clove.  Run the processor drizzling in olive oil until it is the consistency of thick cream.  Stir in lemon juice.

I think I put in too much oil - it's all I could taste, having gingerly dipped a cracker into the result.  Hmm.  I have to confess that I didn't get too much further than that - but on the plus side, I didn't get food poisoning.

Next up is a hearty chicken stew.  I'd soaked some beans overnight, and marinaded chicken pieces in a mix of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, herbes de Provence and the pared rind on an orange.

The next day I browned the chicken, then put in a pot with the cooked beans.  I softened some chopped leeks in the pan, added the garlic from the marinade, then a litre of water.  Any extra marinade went in, and the orange rind.  Cover and cook for a couple of hours in a moderate oven.

Very tasty with mash - although the orange could have done with being fished out at the end of cooking.  No pic as I ate it before getting the camera out!